What's your take on the RS-1?

[postjack]

I'm primarily a Senn guy, though I enjoy my SR225 from time to time, kind of like a fun diversion. I'm listening to Depeche Mode's "I Want You Now" right now, the fun, upfront sound is just cool, puts a smile on my face . I've especially enjoyed them since I got my PPX3 Slam, they benefit a lot from warmer amplification.

What I want is to hear the Grado sound with more clarity and bass extension. Will I get this from the RS-1? Yeah I know the price is outrageous, but there is a beater user grade pair for sale over at Head-Fi right now for under 500, and it has me thinking.

So whats the real story here? Is the RS-1 a decent enough can or is it kind of... well... mass hysteria bullshit?

Thanks.

[deepak]

Personally I think they're awesome headphones. I would have pulled the trigger on a pair ages ago if I didn't have an HF-1

http://www.head-case.org/index.php?topic=869.0

I do think they're overpriced, but theres not much you can do about that.

As far as bass extension, they don't extend very low. I don't know exactly where it rolls off, but it hides it well with the midbass bump which makes it pretty fun to listen to. I don't think its bass is particularly well textured either. But it does have some headbending-awesome bass slam (with the right amp) that I've only heard with the K1000 that makes them so fun to listen to.

The reason I like them so much is not as an audiophile phone, but just something thats really fun to listen to with acoustic, jazz, and classic rock. I had an SR-225 for a couple of months before getting the HF-1 and based off memory the RS-1 has a bigger soundstage. Thats the only thing I can remember, obviously it improves upon more aspects than that I just don't want to say more just off audio memory.

My take on that pair is that it's not in the best condition, thats why it hasn't sold yet. Most RS-1's in 8 or 9/10 condition around $500 sell pretty quick.

[deepak]

If there's one headphone that has stood the test of time it has to be the RS-1. No FOTM bullshit or anything like that.

[Iron_Dreamer]

I thought the RS1 sounded great with certain material, maybe 25% of my listening. The rest of the time the colorations and limitations were a distraction. They certainly offer a unique and fun perspective, and if money grew on trees I'd have kept my pair. They are also the least painful to wear of all Grados, and the second best looking (HP100 of course taking the cake there).

[deepak]

I thought the RS1 sounded great with certain material, maybe 25% of my listening. The rest of the time the colorations and limitations were a distraction. They certainly offer a unique and fun perspective, and if money grew on trees I'd have kept my pair. They are also the least painful to wear of all Grados, and the second best looking (HP100 of course taking the cake there).

That too I could never live with them as a primary headphone.

[tiberian]

didn't like them too much, the ms-pros were better.

[909]

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1173925789

$400 obo on Audiogon recently listed.

I liked them a lot, but prefer the older ones w/ the wooden box. And my biggest gripe with them is the lack of soundstage.

[grawk]

Thanks for the pointer, I sent him an offer...

I love the RS1s. They'd also never be my only cans, but aside from the PS3000s, which I couldn't justify keeping, I haven't heard any phones that could be. The VTGs come closest.

[aerius]

IMO the RS-1 is the best current production dynamic headphone provided you have the money and patience to build a system around them. Problem, your PPX3 Slam ain't gonna take them anywhere near their full potential, it's gonna sound a fair bit better than your 225's but not $400 better. They need a ridiculously overpowered tube amp to sound their best, think power tubes such as EL34's or 300B's on the output as opposed to driver tubes like 5687's or 6SN7's.

But if you get it right it's magic, it plugs you right into the music and emotion and you end up not really caring about colourations, neutrality and all that other audiophile stuff.

[en480c4]

Well, admittedly my experience is limited, but I'm just not a fan of the RS-1. On my relatively modest system, I definitely prefered the RS-2 to the RS-1. And for me, pad choice made little difference... sure it changed the sound a lot, but either bowls (shrill & sibilant) or flats (muddled & dull) resulted in an overall sound that was unlistenable to my ears.

[ojnihs]

One word sums up my experience: FATIGUING!!!!

[postjack]

Thanks all for your responses, gives me a lot to chew on.

[deepak]

IMO the RS-1 is the best current production dynamic headphone provided you have the money and patience to build a system around them. Problem, your PPX3 Slam ain't gonna take them anywhere near their full potential, it's gonna sound a fair bit better than your 225's but not $400 better. They need a ridiculously overpowered tube amp to sound their best, think power tubes such as EL34's or 300B's on the output as opposed to driver tubes like 5687's or 6SN7's.

But if you get it right it's magic, it plugs you right into the music and emotion and you end up not really caring about colourations, neutrality and all that other audiophile stuff.

Have you heard it with the Mapletree EAR amps?

[Guest sacd lover]

Have you heard it with the Mapletree EAR amps?

The PPX3 SLAM is better sounding than the EAR+ with grados ..... IMO .... or atleast as good. I have a transformer coupled Space Tech Lab amp with paralleled 6as7's and I still like the OTL amps better with my M2Si. Surprisingly, the STL is really good with senns. Maybe I like senns best, maybe the STL amp is optimized for higher impedences .... but I never liked the EAR+ with senns.

[Iron_Dreamer]

IMO the RS-1 is the best current production dynamic headphone provided you have the money and patience to build a system around them. Problem, your PPX3 Slam ain't gonna take them anywhere near their full potential, it's gonna sound a fair bit better than your 225's but not $400 better. They need a ridiculously overpowered tube amp to sound their best, think power tubes such as EL34's or 300B's on the output as opposed to driver tubes like 5687's or 6SN7's.

This sounds a lot like the "HD6x0 are the best headphones ever IF you have xxx super-expensive, over-powered amp," talk that was started by Headroom and seemed to be all the rage a year or so ago.

[CD44hi]

I used to own an old style MPX3 and it was quite good with the RS1. I own Sr225 and I will say that the biggest difference is that I find the RS1 much more "textured" and coherent in terms of presentation.

I prefer the RS1 to the RS2 (of which I have owned 2 pairs, but sold them both). The biggest difference to my ears is that the RS1 is more spatially resolving, making the RS2 sound a bit congested in comparison. On the other side of the coin, the RS2 alowed quite a fun listen because it seemed less "distracting" (dunno if I am explaining myself here, but anyways). I guess sometimes a less complex musical image is an easier listen.

[aerius]

Have you heard it with the Mapletree EAR amps?

Nope, despite living in the same province as them I've yet to see one of their amps.

This sounds a lot like the "HD6x0 are the best headphones ever IF you have xxx super-expensive, over-powered amp," talk that was started by Headroom and seemed to be all the rage a year or so ago.

So here's the fun part, everyone "knows" Senns "need" mega-expensive amps to sound good, while it's generally accepted that Grados don't benefit from super amps. It's one of the more annoying myths which I've run across in the headphone world. But there's a kernel of truth to the myth, Senns sound like crap with most entry level amps, while Grados manage to sound pretty decent, so people assume that Grados don't need good amps, which is a load of crock.

Almost all headphones benefit from superior amplification, the thing is relatively few people have paired Grados with good amps compared to Senns thanks to the never-dying myth. I've heard an all-out RS-1 setup, it remains the 2nd best setup I've ever heard behind the PS-1 setup.

[philodox]

Almost all headphones benefit from superior amplification, the thing is relatively few people have paired Grados with good amps compared to Senns thanks to the never-dying myth. I've heard an all-out RS-1 setup, it remains the 2nd best setup I've ever heard behind the PS-1 setup.

You just wait until I get my Zapfilter in [it just arrived] and Peter finishes my amp. [hopefully Renato and I will pay him a visit next weekend]

[Patu]

RS1 is very good IMO. It's the most sophisticated and with the best soundstage Grado I've heard. Shines with rock music. It goes well with other than rock also, unlike some other Grado models. I still think that PS1 is the best Grado I've heard. Right after PS1, there are RS1 and RS2 which I consider equally good. GS1000 can't be even mentioned in the same sentence with these three.

[Guest sacd lover]

You just wait until I get my Zapfilter in [it just arrived] and Peter finishes my amp. [hopefully Renato and I will pay him a visit next weekend]

Did you ever convince Peter that tubes make a difference? \

[philodox]

Did you ever convince Peter that tubes make a difference?

Well, I told him the difference the sylvania 6GU7's made in my amp and he didnt argue or anything... but I think he is still skeptical. Perhaps they wont make a difference once he is finished... you never know.

Back on topic, I agree with aerius that the top end Grado's really improve with a good amp.

[deepak]

Back on topic, I agree with aerius that the top end Grado's really improve with a good amp.

Even the GS-1000 ?

[Guest sacd lover]

Well, I told him the difference the sylvania 6GU7's made in my amp and he didnt argue or anything... but I think he is still skeptical. Perhaps they wont make a difference once he is finished... you never know.

Back on topic, I agree with aerius that the top end Grado's really improve with a good amp.

Are you sometimes worried about someone designing your amp that cant hear the difference between the mismatched tubes he sent to some of his buyers? I also cant believe you could squeeze out the tube sound completely; and why would you want to? No flaming here .... I just wondered.

[philodox]

Are you sometimes worried about someone designing your amp that cant hear the difference between the mismatched tubes he sent to some of his buyers? I also cant believe you could squeeze out the tube sound completely; and why would you want to? No flaming here .... I just wondered.

Well, it is not about squeezing the tube sound out completely, it is about designing the amps so that the minute variations between various tubes do not have a large impact. Peter's amps still sound like tube amps, never fear. And no, I am not worried about him designing my amp because he does not believe in tube rolling on his circuits. Why would I be?

[Guest sacd lover]

Well, it is not about squeezing the tube sound out completely, it is about designing the amps so that the minute variations between various tubes do not have a large impact. Peter's amps still sound like tube amps, never fear. And no, I am not worried about him designing my amp because he does not believe in tube rolling on his circuits. Why would I be?

Nevermind ... that is not what I meant.